FDR_Reagan
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This Mullahcracy online Taqyia had been going on for years.
But now, with its proxies unleashed...
Iran surges cyber-enabled influence operations in support of Hamas.
02/07/2024 Reading time: 15 minutes
Iran surges cyber-enabled influence operations in support of Hamas
Introduction
As the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7, 2023, Iran immediately surged support to Hamas with its now well-honed technique of combining targeted hacks with influence operations amplified on social media, what we refer to as cyber-enabled influence operations.1 Iran’s operations were initially reactionary and opportunistic. By late October, nearly all of Iran’s influence and major cyber actors focused on Israel in an increasingly targeted, coordinated, and destructive manner, making for a seemingly boundless “all-hands-on-deck” campaign against Israel. Unlike some of Iran’s past cyberattacks, all of its destructive cyberattacks against Israel in this war—real or fabricated—were complemented with online influence operations.
Key terms defined
-Cyber-enabled influence operations
Operations which combine offensive computer network operations with messaging and amplification in a coordinated and manipulative fashion to shift perceptions, behaviors, or decisions by target audiences to further a group or a nation’s interests and objectives.
Cyber persona
A manufactured public-facing group or individual that takes responsibility for a cyber operation while providing plausible deniability for the underlying group or nation responsible.
Sockpuppet
A false online persona employing fictitious or stolen identities for the purpose of deception.
Influence operations grew increasingly sophisticated and inauthentic, deploying networks of social media “sockpuppets” as the war progressed. Throughout the war these influence operations have sought to intimidate Israelis while criticizing the Israeli government’s handling of hostages and military operations to polarize and ultimately destabilize Israel. government’s handling of hostages and military operations to polarize and ultimately destabilize Israel.
Eventually, Iran turned its cyberattacks and influence operations against Israel’s political allies and economic partners to undermine support to Israel’s military operations.
We expect the threat posed by Iran’s cyber and influence operations will grow as the conflict persists, particularly amid the rising potential for a widening war. Increased brazenness of Iranian and Iran-affiliated actors coupled with burgeoning collaboration among them portends a growing threat ahead of the US elections in November.
But now, with its proxies unleashed...
Iran surges cyber-enabled influence operations in support of Hamas.
02/07/2024 Reading time: 15 minutes
Iran surges cyber-enabled influence operations in support of Hamas
Introduction
As the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7, 2023, Iran immediately surged support to Hamas with its now well-honed technique of combining targeted hacks with influence operations amplified on social media, what we refer to as cyber-enabled influence operations.1 Iran’s operations were initially reactionary and opportunistic. By late October, nearly all of Iran’s influence and major cyber actors focused on Israel in an increasingly targeted, coordinated, and destructive manner, making for a seemingly boundless “all-hands-on-deck” campaign against Israel. Unlike some of Iran’s past cyberattacks, all of its destructive cyberattacks against Israel in this war—real or fabricated—were complemented with online influence operations.
Key terms defined
-Cyber-enabled influence operations
Operations which combine offensive computer network operations with messaging and amplification in a coordinated and manipulative fashion to shift perceptions, behaviors, or decisions by target audiences to further a group or a nation’s interests and objectives.
Cyber persona
A manufactured public-facing group or individual that takes responsibility for a cyber operation while providing plausible deniability for the underlying group or nation responsible.
Sockpuppet
A false online persona employing fictitious or stolen identities for the purpose of deception.
Influence operations grew increasingly sophisticated and inauthentic, deploying networks of social media “sockpuppets” as the war progressed. Throughout the war these influence operations have sought to intimidate Israelis while criticizing the Israeli government’s handling of hostages and military operations to polarize and ultimately destabilize Israel. government’s handling of hostages and military operations to polarize and ultimately destabilize Israel.
Eventually, Iran turned its cyberattacks and influence operations against Israel’s political allies and economic partners to undermine support to Israel’s military operations.
We expect the threat posed by Iran’s cyber and influence operations will grow as the conflict persists, particularly amid the rising potential for a widening war. Increased brazenness of Iranian and Iran-affiliated actors coupled with burgeoning collaboration among them portends a growing threat ahead of the US elections in November.
Iran surges cyber-enabled influence operations in support of Hamas
Discover details of Iran’s cyber-enabled influence operations supporting Hamas in Israel. Learn how operations have progressed through different phases of the war, and examine the four key influence tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) Iran favors most.
www.microsoft.com
